[mean] vb meant ; mean.ing [ME menen, fr. OE maenan; akin to OHG meinen to have in mind, OCS meniti to mention] vt (bef. 12c) 1 a: to have in the mind as a purpose: intend "she ~s to win"--sometimes used interjectionally with I, chiefly in informal speech for emphasis "he throws, I ~, hard" or to introduce a phrase restating the point of a preceding phrase "we try to answer what we can, but I ~ we're not God --Bobbie Ann Mason" b: to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future "I was meant to teach"
2: to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate: signify "a red sky ~s rain"
3: to have importance to the degree of "health ~s everything"
4: to direct to a particular individual ~ vi: to have an intended purpose "he ~s well" -- mean.er n -- mean business : to be in earnest
[2]mean adj [ME mene, fr. imene common, shared, fr. OE gemaene; akin to OHG gimeini common, L communis common, munus service, gift, Skt mayate he exchanges] (14c) 1: lacking distinction or eminence: humble
2: lacking in mental discrimination: dull 3 a: of poor shabby inferior quality or status "~ city streets" b: worthy of little regard: contemptible--often used in negative constructions as a term of praise "no ~ feat"
4: lacking dignity or honor: base
5. a: penurious, stingy b: characterized by petty selfishness or malice c: causing trouble or bother: vexatious d: excellent, effective "plays a ~ trumpet" "a lean, ~ athlete"
6: ashamed 1b -- mean.ness n syn mean, ignoble, abject, sordid mean being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity. mean suggests having such repellent characteristics as small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity "mean and petty satire". ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit "an ignoble scramble after material possessions". abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility "abject poverty". sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness "a sordid story of murder and revenge". [3]mean adj [ME mene, fr. MF meien, fr. L medianus--more at median] (14c) 1: occupying a middle position: intermediate in space, order, time, kind, or degree
2: occupying a position about midway between extremes; esp: being the mean of a set of values: average "the ~ temperature"
3: serving as a means: intermediary syn see average [4]mean n (14c) 1 a (1): something intervening or intermediate (2): a middle point between extremes b: a value that lies within a range of values and is computed according to a prescribed law: as (1): arithmetic mean (2): expected value c: either of the middle two terms of a proportion
2. pl but sing or pl in constr: something useful or helpful to a desired end 3 pl: resources available for disposal; esp: material resources affording a secure life -- by all means : most assuredly: certainly -- by means of : through the use of -- by no means : in no way: not at all